Thursday, January 8, 2009

Information Technology and Organizational Transformation or Foundations of Education

Information Technology and Organizational Transformation: History, Rhetoric and Preface

Author: Joanne Yates

This book provides one of the first clear-headed assessments of information technology and organizational transformation. Its virtue is not so much in its recognition of the importance of the subject; speculations on this topic have been rampant for more than a decade. Rather, it is unusual and unusually useful, because it avoids speculation in favor of conceptually coherent accounts grounded in empirical study of actual organizations. The chapters contained in this volume move beyond the superficial glorification of information technology as an extraordinary instrument of social change, and straight to the heart of the mechanisms of change as they play out in everyday organizational life. In the process, they reaffirm that the real story of information technology in organizations is more about people than about technology. Taken together, they provide an important contribution to the intellectual foundations of one of the most interesting developments in decades.

Information Technology and Organizational Transformation consists of three parts. The first consists of studies that take an historical perspective on informational technology and organizational transformation. The second set of chapters deals with the rhetoric of information technology and organizational transformation. The third section concerns the practices that emerge when a new information technology is made available to organizational members. Do practices change? How so? These are the questions that in our view are central to any serious consideration of organizational transformation.

This volume contains several important articles first published in the Spring 1996 special issue of ISRco-edited by Yates and Van Maanen, and subsequently in several cases updated for this volume. In addition, four new articles were added and the book was divided into the three sections highlighted in the subtitle: history, rhetoric, and practice. New articles include three focused on the rhetoric surrounding IT and organizational change: Suzanne Iacono and Robert Kling on "...The Rise of the Internet and Distant Forms of Work"; by John R. Weeks, on IT "...in a Culture of Complaint:...:; and Charles Bazerman on "Political Participation in the Age of the Internet." In addition, there is a paper in the Practice section by Brian Pentland, entitled "Big Brother Goes Portable: Enduser Computing in the Internal Revenue Service." Includes a preface by John King, now Dean of the School of Information, University of Michigan.

Booknews

Assesses information technology and organizational transformation. Moves beyond the superficial glorification of information technology as an instrument of social change, examining mechanisms of change as they play out in everyday organizational life. Chapters are in sections on the history, rhetoric, and practice of information technology and organizational transformation. Discussion encompasses areas such as the transformation of work, Texas politics and the fax revolution, end-use computing in the Internal Revenue Service, and design and access for large information spaces. Yates teaches management, and Van Maanen teaches organizations studies, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



See also: The Fat Flush Plan or Zen Shiatsu

Foundations of Education: The Challenge of Professional Practice

Author: Robert McNergney

Foundations of Education, Third Edition, analyzes tough issues teachers will face upon entering their field, including professionalism, school reform, cultural diversity, inclusion, and technology. Through new and greatly revised chapters and new pedagogical features, this edition helps pre-service teachers analyze issues and determine how they will address them in their professional practice. The book constitutes a lively, provocative tome that users will enjoy reading, gives a fresh look at traditional topics in educational foundations, and enhances its technological and global perspectives for the 21st century. Addressing all the foundational areas of education, including history, philosophy, sociology, school governance, finance, and school law, the book also offers introductions to the areas of curriculum, theory, and methods, and to teaching as a career. For pre-service and in-service teachers and educators.

Booknews

Topics include the theme of professionalism, education in historical and philosophical contexts, the many meanings of the concept of school, governmental and economic contexts in which children's education occurs, the challenges of meeting students' diverse educational needs, curriculum and instruction, legal issues, international and global education, and educators of the future. This update of the 1998 edition offers a sharper focus on multicultural and inclusive education, technology, contemporary legal and social issues, government regulation, standards, and other current issues. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)



Table of Contents:

All chapters conclude with “Summary,” “Terms and Concepts,” “Reflective Practice,” and “On-Line Activity.”

1. Teaching—The People's Profession.
What Makes Teaching a Profession?
What Makes Teaching Less Than a Profession?
What Are the Challenges of Professional Practice?
What Career Issues Must Beginning Teachers Face?
How Are Teachers Evaluated?
How Are Teachers Supported and Rewarded?
How Do Teachers Demonstrate Professional Leadership?

2. Historical Foundations of Education, 1600 to 1865.
What European Thinkers Influenced Early Education?
What Was the Influence of Informal Education Before the Civil War?
What Were the Aims of Education?
How Did Formal Education Develop in the United States before the Civil War?
What Curricula and Textbooks Shaped Education?
How Were Educational Success and Failure Evaluated?

3. Modern U. S. Education History, 1865 to the Present.
What Changes After the Civil War Affected the System of Education in the United States?
Who Are “We the People” ?
How Did Teaching Change After the Civil War?
How Did Schools Change During the Modern Era?
What Issues Arose in Curriculum Development?
How Do People Typically Judge Educational Success and Failure?

4. Philosophical Foundations in Action.
What Is Philosophy, and What Does It Have to Do with You as a Teacher?
What Are the Roots of American Educational Philosophies?
What Modern Philosophies Influence Western Education?
What Non-Western PhilosophiesInfluence American Education?
What Factors Shape Teachers' Personal Philosophies of Education?

5. Schools.
How Is the School a Social Institution?
How Is Public Schooling Organized in the United States?
What Are Some Schooling Alternatives?
How Are Schools Administered?
What Organizational and Policy Issues Do Schools Face?
What Makes Some Schools More Effective Than Others?

6. School Governance and Education Finance.
What Are School Governance and Education Finance?
How Does the Federal Government Influence Education?
How Is Education Financed and Controlled by the States?
How Are Schools Financed and Managed at the Local Level?
How Do Governance and Funding Relate to Educational Success?

7. Social Issues and the Schools.
What Are Society's Expectations for Schools?
How Does Poverty Place Students at Risk of School Failure?
How Can Schools Intervene to Help Students at Risk?
How Can Schools Get Parents Involved in Their Children's Education?
How Can Schools Reduce Risks That Threaten Children's Health and Safety?

8. Influences of Diversity.
What Is Diversity?
How Has Diversity Been Defined in Terms of Development?
What Other Concepts Define Diversity?

9. Multicultural and Inclusive Education.
What Is Multicultural Education?
What Types of Multicultural Education Curricula Exist and How Are They Evaluated?
How Are Educational Services Adapted for Students with Exceptionalities?
How Can Teachers Create Culturally Relevant Classrooms?

10. Curriculum and Instruction.
What Is Curriculum?
What Forces and Change Agents Affect Curriculum Content?
How Are Curriculum and Instruction Planned and Organized?
What Are Four General Models of Instruction?
What Is Effective Instruction?
How Do Teachers Effectively Manage Students?

11. Education and the Law.
How Does Government Influence Education?
What Legal Principles Affect Public Education?
What Are Parents' Rights and Responsibilities?
What Are Students' Rights and Responsibilities?
What Are Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities?
What Are the Rights and Responsibilities of School Districts?

12. Global and Comparative Education.
Why Should We Learn About Educational Life Outside the United States?
What Do We Know About Education in Other Countries?
How Might We Enhance Understanding of Global Interdependence?

13. The Future of Education in a Changing World.
What Trends Are Changing Teachers' Professional Roles?
How Are Links to Technology Changing the Foundations of Education?
How Are Collaborative Networks Transforming Teaching and Learning?
How Are Collaborative Networks Transforming the Professional Development of Teachers?
How Can Professional Educators Prepare for the Future?

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